


1, 2, 3, 4, I Really Shouldn't Ask For More

by Mortimer_Dead_Sea



Series: 1, 2, 3, 4 Series [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: A Choice with No Regrets, Canonical Character Death, Loosely based on events from manga, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Manga Spoilers, Mentions Of Angry Sex, Mentions of Sex, My Guilty Pleasure Ship(s), Non-Canonical Character Death, Polyamory, Probably ooc, Slight pressure about who is involved in the relationship at times, Trainee Days
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-13
Updated: 2016-09-13
Packaged: 2018-08-14 19:06:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8025490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mortimer_Dead_Sea/pseuds/Mortimer_Dead_Sea
Summary: "When Nile awoke in the middle of the night, they were all lying in one bed. Erwin was big spoon, he was little spoon, and Levi was curled up in his arms. He had been in the situation before, but with different people, different roles. But things kept changing, people kept leaving."A story of four people who all fell in love, but someone left, and someone died. At any given time there's three people involved in the relationship.





	1, 2, 3, 4, I Really Shouldn't Ask For More

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my guilty pleasure ships. I decided to give them some love after a very long time.
> 
> Also, this story involved almost constant polyamory- I have never been in a polyamorous relationship so I apologize for any inaccuracies. I did my best.
> 
> But if anybody has any advice or constructive criticism on the matter, I'm more than happy to hear it.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!

He hadn’t thought much of them when he saw them standing among the rest of the recruits; they were just the other recruits, people in his class. Maybe he’d get along with them, maybe he wouldn’t; it didn’t really matter to him, he wasn’t there to make friends.

But he was inexplicably drawn to them; he thought that there couldn’t be a reason for it, or perhaps there was.

They were both weird.

Well… The tall, blonde, blue-eyed one with the giant eyebrows- the one he kind of wanted to hate simply because he looked like a golden boy in the making; the one all the instructors would love and compare anybody they found inferior to- he just seemed eccentric. He spoke of dreams and goals like a young child would- idealistic, and almost naive.

The other one- the one that managed to be even taller than the idealistic trainee, with shaggy, straw-blonde hair that casted shadows over his eyes, making him hard to read- he was simply… Weird. When asked for his name, he smelled the instructor. Everyone carefully turned to look at him, trying not to be too obvious about it; why, why would someone do that? He got reamed out for it as well, but he just stood tall and proud, sly smirk on his face.

This was what he was going to have to deal with all during training.

“What about you, maggot?” He straightened up in an instant, throwing his arms up in a salute as quickly as he could, shaking slightly, but trying to stand tall.

He, himself, really wasn’t that tall. He was average height, and kind of scrawny at that; nothing to be very impressed by. His hair also probably needed to be cut; it wasn’t particularly shaggy like the other one’s, and definitely not neat like the golden boy in training, whose hair looked like it was cut in stone, or possibly a very expensive toupe (he had said he was from Wall Sina of all places. He could probably afford it). His  own was just a mess of black on top of his head, flopping forward so it could just about get him in the eyes.

“W-What about me, Sir?” he asked, cursing himself for letting his voice tremor as much as it did.

The instructor looked disbelieving, and he spoke in a scarily calm, yet hard voice. “What’s your name?”

He swallowed nervously. “Nile Dawk, Sir…”

“Why are you here?” his instructor asked.

Why _was_ he here? He knew the answer, but…

“I don’t know, Sir…” is what he said.

The instructor eyed him curiously, before he yelled, “Well, figure it out!”

“Yes, Sir!” he said, eyes watching the instructor as he moved on to the next person.

His eyes shifted back, and he noticed the two others allowing their gazes to land on him for just a couple of seconds before they faced front again. His eyes darted between the two of them, wondering why.

\----

His bunk was on the bottom, golden boy’s across from his, with the sniffer taking top bunk over golden boy.

He should probably ask for their names. He really hadn’t been paying much attention during introductions.

“Hey there.” He jumped about five feet in there at the sudden voice behind him and he whipped around. Golden boy was standing in front of him, towering over him, the other one just a couple steps behind.

“Hi…” He was weary, unsure of what was about to happen.

“I’m not sure I caught your name during introductions.” That was probably a lie, given the fact they had been staring at him. But then again, he had been solely focused on them as well, and he didn’t remember their names.

None the less, the blonde in front of him stuck his hand out to shake. “I’m Erwin Smith.”

He took his head, and tried not to wince; he was not expecting the grip that golden boy- Erwin, he knew his name now- had.

“I’m Nile,” he introduced himself. “Nile Dawk.”

Erwin nodded and cocked his head at the third teen.

“I’m Mike Zacharius,” he said simply. He didn’t extend a hand or anything, and maybe Nile should be grateful for that as he stretched his fingers. Although being smelled was a complete different experience, and the smirk that followed made him a little uncomfortable.

The three of them were standing in front of one another, the rest of the recruits milling around and talking to one another. Nobody approached them.

\----

It only took Nile a few days to realize a couple of things.

The first thing was that Erwin and Mike had to have known each other in a past life or something; they were too easy with one another for them to have just met a couple of days prior. They were attached at the hip practically; where you found one, you found the other. He’d think they were dating, if it weren’t for the second thing.

The second thing was that maybe Nile was part of that past life and he was unaware of it because the two of them loved to drag him around with them whenever they had down time. Nile was used to spending a lot of time by himself given that his parents were neglectful to say the least. But they wouldn’t give him a second to himself. He wasn’t sure whether or not he enjoyed it constantly, but it was nice to have people he could talk to so it wasn’t just him and his thoughts.

“Nile.” He heard that voice behind him and he already knew who it was.

“Yeah, Sina Boy?”

Erwin and Mike had both gained nicknames in just a short amount of time; Erwin was Sina Boy and Mike was either Bloodhound or Erwin’s Bloodhound depending on who you asked. Neither of them seemed to care however. Erwin said Sina Boy was better than his childhood nickname (whatever that was, he refused to tell), and Mike said he knew that smelling people upon meeting them was odd and it was bound be the punchline to numerous jokes, so he would just shrug it off. Nile wished he could have the same mentality.

“Mike and I were going to get a couple of laps in before we head to lunch,” Erwin explained. “Would you like to come with?”

Nile debated it for a second; he should probably write home like he said he would. He hadn’t yet and it was already a couple of weeks into training. But then he thought about it, how his parents may not even read it, and decided there were better things he could be doing.

“Sure, why not.” He stood and followed Erwin out of the barracks.

When they arrived at the closest thing they had to a track, Mike was already waiting.

“Ah, so you did decide to join us.” Mike clapped him on the back, causing him to jolt forward slightly.

Nile wanted to point out that he spent pretty much every second of spare time he had with them, but decided to just shrug instead.

“I could use it,” he said, and that wasn’t a lie. He was usually dead last when they ran laps during training.

Erwin laughed at that. He didn’t laugh often, but when he did, it was a hearty one. One that wasn’t necessarily contiguous, but made you want to laugh in turn, even if just to be polite. Surprisingly, Mike laughed a lot, and it was the contagious kind.

Mike split off to go down the track, followed by Erwin, and then Nile once he was snapped out of his train of thought.

Mike was a pretty fast runner, not the fastest of the trainees, but easily beat Erwin and Nile in any race. Erwin wasn’t particularly fast, but he had stamina that lasted as long as he paced himself. Nile was simply slow, his skinny legs struggling to keep up.

“Come on, Nile, pick it up!” Erwin called behind him. Nile went to glare at him, but opted to glare at Mike instead as he was lapped by the much taller male.

He was slowing down and panting heavily just a couple laps in. Mike was nearly done and Erwin was still going like it was no problem.

“You alright there, Nile?” Mike asked once he was in is cool down lap.

Nile just nodded, trying to push on as best he could. By the time Erwin had finished, Nile had slowed considerably, but he refused to slow into a walk, not when Mike and Erwin were watching him.

He was relieved when he was done, and Erwin and Mike joined him for his cool down lap.

“Good job,” Erwin said.

“Shut up, Sina Boy, I know I was awful,” Nile snapped, running a hand through his matted hair.

“I was being serious, Nile,” Erwin assured him. “I know you have trouble with athletics, but you’re obviously trying to get better, and you have been doing better.”

“Oh…” Nile wasn’t sure how to respond to that; nobody had ever told him he had done well before. “Sorry…”

“It’s fine.” Erwin smiled at him and Nile’s shoulders dropped. He didn’t remember having them hunched.

\----

When Nile woke up, he didn’t recall falling asleep. They had down time, and he had been expecting Erwin or Mike or both to approach him with some proposition as to what they should do before heading to lunch. But they never came that day.

He roused slowly, turning his head so he could look past his own bed. He saw figures in his blurry vision and after a couple of blinks, he noticed Erwin and Mike were sitting on Erwin’s bed, legs crossed, sitting across from one another. They spoke quietly, and Nile couldn’t make out any words, but then Mike was leaning forward and kissing Erwin, who didn’t seem surprised in the slightest, and was reciprocating instantly.

The kisses they shared looked slow and deliberate, like they would progress if given the chance, but not right now, they couldn’t, and they knew that.

Nile should have known really, hell, he had known. But there was still this knotting in his chest.

The two of them pulled away, smiling slightly. Then Erwin cocked his head in Nile’s general direction and he heard the words, “We should wake him for lunch.”

Nile shut his eyes instantly, not wanting them to know that he had been awake. He only opened them when he felt himself being shook.

“Rise and shine, Nile,” he heard Erwin say. “It’s time to eat.”

Nile sat up slowly, clearing his throat, trying to feign some normalcy. “I’m surprised you didn’t wake me for exercise or something.”

Erwin shrugged. “You seemed tired so we figured you could use the rest.”

“Well, thanks,” Nile said, wishing he didn’t sound so harsh. He didn’t know why he was so upset.

He stood slowly as to not get dizzy and began to follow the other two out to the cafeteria.

\----

Lunch had been awful; Nile was quiet most of the time and when he did speak, his voice was hard, making him come across as frustrated. When asked if anything was wrong, he just said he was feeling groggy. Erwin joked that maybe they shouldn’t let him nap anymore and Nile had to bite his tongue to keep from asking “When are you and Mike gonna fuck then?”

He did his best to avoid them for the rest of the day, much to their confusion.

“Nile, are you ok?” Nile was surprised to hear this coming from Mike. He wasn’t much of a talker, that was usually Erwin’s thing between the two of them.

 _The two of them…_ Nile thought, grimacing.

“The look on your face tells me ‘no’,” Mike said. He hopped down from his own bunk and crossed over to join Nile, sitting on the edge of Nile’s bed. “Any particular reason?”

Nile shrugged, not wanting to have _that_ conversation.

Mike was silent for a while, sniffing the air.

“Nile…” he eventually said, and it was so sudden that Nile actually turned to look at him. “How long were you asleep earlier?”

Nile wondered if Mike could smell the lies. He decided maybe it would be best not to test it. “I saw you and Erwin…”

Mike smirked, silently calling Nile a pervert. Nile’s face flushed red.

The smirk left, but Mike was still smiling slightly. “And why does that bother you?”

Nile opened his mouth to speak, but then slowly closed it. He thought about the question; why _did_ it bother him so much?

“I don’t know…” he answered truthfully.

Mike didn’t seemed surprised by his answer, but his expression was hard to read at the moment. He stood suddenly, startling Nile, and he began to move towards his own bunk again.

“Tell me when you’ve figured it out,” Mike said, pulling himself up.

He returned to his usual silence after that, leaving Nile more confused now than before. He laid down and decided maybe he should try and sleep. He didn’t acknowledge Erwin when he returned.

\----

The next couple of weeks were about as normal as Nile could have hoped for. Mike and Erwin acted as they always did, attached at the hip, but Nile knew what was underneath the surface now. It still bothered him for reasons he couldn’t discern.

Aside from that something else had definitely… Shifted.

Mike and Erwin were particularly close to him now. Not that they hadn’t been close before, they were just… Close.

Touchier.

They had a habit of rubbing his back or arms, or massaging a shoulder when given the chance. It had confused him at first, and weirded him out slightly, but as he grew accustomed to it, he actually found it rather… Nice, he supposed.

He did exercise with them in his down time, and afterwards they always told him that he was doing great and would rub his back or squeeze his shoulders, and sometimes when they walked, they would bump up against him. He wasn’t sure what to think of it given that at night, he knew Mike and Erwin would spend some not-so-alone time together when everyone had gone to sleep. Everyone but Nile. The knot in his chest was still there and it still left him confused.

After a couple of weeks of that, Nile woke in the midst of the night to find Erwin and Mike both sitting in his bed.

“W-What are you guys doing?” he asked in a rushed whisper, scrambling to sit up. Mike and Erwin sat across from him.

“Well, we were trying to let you figure it out on your own,” Erwin explained. “But you’re still confused.”

“Confused about what?” They each raised an eyebrow at him and he knew it was obvious he was bullshitting.

“Ok, _fine_ ,” Nile conceded. “I don’t know why, but the fact you two are dating leaves this knot in my chest, and it makes me frustrated.”

He ran a hand through his messy, black hair, before looking up. He was met by Erwin’s lips pressed against his. He froze, not fully understanding what was happening, and Erwin pulled away before he could react. He tried to gather his thoughts so he could say something, or give any sort of reaction, but was wasn’t given the chance as Mike did the same, leaning forward to kiss the already very confused Nile. He wasn’t sure what was happening, but the knot in his chest seemed to relax every so slightly.

Mike pulled away, and both looked at him the way they looked at each other.

“Figured anything out yet?” Mike asked with the slightest smirk.

Nile still sat frozen for a few moments, not sure what to say. Everything was starting to fall into place in his mind, but he was still _confused_.

“I-I, uh…” He cleared his throat. “I think…”

“Just spit it out,” Erwin said. “We like each other, we like you, and you like us.”

It all clicked in that moment, the knot melting away. Suddenly, it all felt really simple.

“Oh…” was all he could really manage. “I-I-”

“Get some sleep, Nile,” Erwin said. “One step at a time. We can all talk in the morning.”

Nile decided maybe that was best considering he was suddenly exhausted, and laid back down once the other two left the space of his bed. He felt two hands rest on his back briefly as he drifted back to sleep.

\----

When Nile woke the next morning, he wasn’t sure if the events from the previous night had been a dream or not. But as he rose, he felt two sets of eyes watching him, and he knew it had to be real.

They didn’t get a chance to talk until their down time.

“So…” Nile began, not sure what to say.

They were situated in the same position as the night prior, Nile at the head of his bed, Erwin and Mike situated across from him, seated next to each other.

“So?” Erwin urged him on.

Nile paused, trying to collect himself. He was confused all over again, any clarity granted from the night before gone. He was given few answers, and simply had more questions. “So… What do we do about this?”

Erwin smiled. “I thought that much was obvious.”

“But…” Nile sputtered at that. “We all like each other, how does that work? We can’t all date each other!”

Erwin and Mike both laughed at that.

“Sure we can,” Erwin told him. “I’m ok with it, Mike’s ok with it. If you’re ok with it, we can all be with each other.”

And just like that, it was simple again. It should have been complicated, it sounded complicated when the words floated in the air, but the second they hit his ears, it just made a lot of sense.

“Ok…” he said. His voice was so soft he didn’t even heard it, but Mike and Erwin must have heard him because they were both smiling now. He felt a tugging at the corners of his own mouth.

Mike and Erwin were both shuffling forward, pulling him into their arms. Mike kissed him, and Erwin started to trail kisses down his neck, hands running up his shirt. Nile’s breathing began to pick up.

“Is this ok?” Erwin breathed against his neck. Mike pulled away so Nile could respond in some way.

He panted slightly, nodding. There was the possibility of somebody walking in, but it was doubtful, and frankly, he was having difficulty bringing himself to care.

“Have…” He swallowed dryly. “Have you guys…?”

“No,” Erwin said, kissing another spot on his neck.  “We were waiting for you.”

Nile’s face flushed a deep red, and Mike chuckled lightly at that. He waited until Erwin had removed Nile’s shirt before leaning back in.

\----

Nile took stock of how things worked between them.

Nile learned quickly that it could just be two of them, if it wasn’t all three of them. Mike and Erwin were sure to establish that fact with Nile, both spending a night with him alone, before doing the same with each other.

It was either in Erwin’s bed or Nile’s bed, probably for convenience since Mike’s bed involved hoisting oneself up, a feat either easily accomplished due to adrenaline, or practically impossible with a muddled mind. Either way, bottom bunk was just easier.

Something else he had was that, he never topped, which he was ok with. Mike and Erwin knew what to do somehow, and he had absolutely no idea. There was one thing he knew though, and that was whatever they did to him always felt amazing, and they seemed to be enjoying themselves as well, so everyone involved was happy.

On a similar note, Mike never bottomed, and that’s really all there is to say on the matter.

At night they tended to sleep in their own bunks though, but on some nights, they would lay in Nile’s bed and speak to each other until they fell asleep. Mike was big spoon, Erwin was little spoon, and Nile was curled up in Erwin’s arms. He was warm, they both were, warmer than the blankets, and warmer than his home.

When they spoke at night, Mike and Nile tended to sit in rapt silence as Erwin went on about his dreams, all he hoped to accomplish. He wanted to join the Survey Corps, a fact they already knew. Mike agreed to go with him, although it was clear that he had wanted to join the Survey Corps regardless. Nile agreed as well, stupidly. He should have known that promising that was a mistake, a very, very big mistake, but there was something about the intimacy that wrapped him up and made him say things he would never say otherwise.

None of this was ever said during the day, it was kept on lock. During the day, Erwin and Mike were attached at the hip, bumping up against Nile and giving calming, comforting touches when they could. People looked at them oddly, and Nile expected no different. He told himself time and time again that what they had was theirs and nobody else’s, but something was still bothering him. He had no idea what it was.

“Nile, you ready to go running?” Erwin asked, pulling Nile from his thoughts.

“Actually…” Nile dipped his head slightly so he wouldn’t have to look his… Whatever they were, in the eyes. “I think I need a break today. I might head down to that tavern.”

Erwin seemed a little surprised, but he just nodded. “Ok. We’ll see you later then.”

He left to go join Mike at the track. Once he was gone, Nile left as well, heading down to the tavern.

When he plopped down in a seat, running a hand through his freshly cut hair, there was somebody immediately at his side, ready to take his order.

“Oh.” He was caught off guard to say the least. The girl standing in front of him was beautiful by most anybody’s standards; she was around his age most likely, with long, brown hair done up in shiny curls, soft brown eyes of the same color, and wearing the standard barmaid’s dress. Her smile was genuine on top of it, and charming at that.

“Hey there,” she said in a soft, kind voice. “My name’s Marie. I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before.”

“Oh, uh…” He cleared his throat. “I know a lot of the other trainees come here and I was looking to take a break, so…”

To be completely honest, he just wanted a little time to himself away from his… His…

Boyfriends. That’s what they were. They were his boyfriends.

Good lord.

The girl still smiled at him, unfazed by his incomplete thought. “Well, since you’re new, why don’t I get you a patron favorite?”

“Uh…” Nile kind of wished he was better at talking around people he barely knew. It was easier with Erwin and Mike around, especially since Erwin was so good at talking. But he had made it this far. “Ok…”

With another soft flash of a smile, Marie was off, leaving Nile to his own devices.

\----

Nile returned to his usual routine of spending his leisure time with Mike and Erwin after that, but spent his long weekend curfews at the tavern so he could talk to Marie.

She was very kind and all the patrons of the tavern loved her (some a little more than others), and Nile could see why. She was charming at an instant, and had the kind of voice that made you want to listen to every word she had to say. Nile would often sit and listen to her for hours at a time; she had so much to talk about and maybe she wanted to have somebody to talk to. It seemed that most anybody else did at the tavern was talk at her in the hopes of getting her attention. Nile gave her his undivided attention.

Sometimes she asked him questions to, usually about why he joined the military, and what his family was like. These were not things he often spoke about, but then again he wasn’t often asked. Marie was easy to talk to, however, and he would give her bits and pieces of what his life had been like.

He was always slightly drunk when he came back, so Erwin and Mike figured out that he was spending nights at the tavern without them needing to ask. They never touched the subject; a lot of trainees went to the tavern and if Nile wanted to go as well, then that was that.

When Nile came back, they always would get him some water and make sure he was doing ok before getting him into bed and then going to sleep themselves. They never asked or said anything. Mike and Erwin never even asked each other, and barely had any questions to ask themselves.

That is, until they heard the whispers.

“Hey, have you noticed Mike, Erwin, and Nile are all really close?”

“That’s been established since day one practically. Where have you been?”

“Yeah, but haven’t you noticed that Nile has been spending a lot of time at the tavern?”

“So does everyone else.”

“Yeah, but Mike and Erwin never go. Plus I think he has a thing for that barmaid Marie. They’re always talking and he hangs onto her every word.”

The chatter continued, but Mike and Erwin weren’t really listening anymore.

When Nile returned that night, he seemed a little more drunk than usually, and a little too happy to see them. They gave him his water as usual, got him settled in bed, gave him a goodnight kiss each, and then got situated in their own beds.

They didn’t need to speak, a tense air settling between the two of them that said more than words could.

\----

Nile continued to go to the tavern and people continued to talk. It was a couple more weeks before Mike and Erwin brought it up.

“Hey, Nile,” Erwin started tentatively. With most things, he used as little words as possible, just getting straight to the point. He could do that with Mike, because Mike was a man of few words, and often did the same. With Nile, he had to be more careful, knowing Nile freaked out easily when frustrated, got defensive easily.

Nile looked up at the sound of his name. Both Erwin and Mike situated themselves on Nile’s bed, the way they always did.

“Why are you always hanging out at the tavern?” Erwin asked in a level tone.

Nile was confused, and it may have shown on his face. They had never asked him why before.

He shrugged. “It’s a good place to relax and the servers are nice, too.”

“Like Marie?” It was out before Erwin could really stop it. Erwin usually had excellent control over his words, but he tended to let that go around Mike and Nile, and now was no exception. But there was bite in his words that he couldn’t take back, and he knew Nile had heard it.

“What?” Nile asked, obviously taken aback.

“All the chatter,” Mike spoke up. His voice was neutral for the most part, but his straightforwardness made him come off as harsh. “People say that you like Marie.”

Nile seemed surprised for all of two seconds before he realized why that could seem true to people that weren't him. Good lord, did Mike and Erwin actually believe that?

“We just talk,” Nile said, trying to defend himself. He didn’t know whether he should be angry that they believed what they heard or guilty for letting them believe it for so long. “She’s a good person to talk to and I think she’s glad to have somebody listening instead of talking at her.”

Mike and Erwin were both looking at him, like they had a million things to say and were debating if any of them would do anything besides start a fight.

“Ok,” Erwin finally said. “I’m sorry we didn’t trust you.”

Nile just nodded, dipping his head. They told him good night, each giving him a quick kiss before they went to get into their own beds. Those were usually the night they spent together, but it was too tense at the moment.

But the next day, when they bumped into Nile, Nile bumped back.

\----

They were almost done with training. Two more months, and they would choose their regiment. Their minds were made up, they had been for a long time.

Except when Nile walked into the barracks during leisure time, instead of finding Erwin and Mike like he had been expecting, he found a letter on his bed. A letter from home.

He remembered almost writing a letter home when training first began. He never did, never even thought of it after that.

He opened it with trembling hands and began to read his father’s hasty but firm scrawl, and just like that, every doubt and confusion he had, every instance where people had given him a look in conjunction with Mike and Erwin and he tried to pretend that it didn’t bother him, the reason he had decided to join the military in the first place, it all came crashing back.

He folded up the letter, struggling to return it to the envelope with hands that shook violently. He placed it under his pillow.

When Erwin went to get him for laps, Nile acted like nothing was wrong.

But Erwin and Mike could tell something was wrong when Nile didn’t go to the tavern that night, opting to stay with them. They thought that maybe Nile was trying to make up for the fact that everyone thought he was in love with Marie.

But when Erwin showed up that night, he was surprised to find Nile sitting on his bed. Everyone else was still out, and wouldn’t be returning any time soon. Erwin descended onto him, kissing him as he gently pushed him down. Nile asked if they could wait for Mike as well, and Erwin was happy to comply.

\----

The next morning, Nile grew cold and distant. When Mike and Erwin bumped into him, he went rigid. He shrugged them off when they went to give him touches on his back or shoulders. He would go straight to bed.

People noticed and people spoke, and Nile went to the tavern often. The rumors erupted again, leaving Mike and Erwin confused, shocked more than anything, and worried.

And then it finally happened. Before they were going to choose their regiments, Nile told them he was joining the Military Police. When asked why, he said nothing.

They heard chatter, people saying Nile had asked Marie to marry him, and she happily agreed. They didn’t want to believe it, but it turned out to be true. It left the two of them wrecked, more than they thought it should have. They wondered how many rumors had been true, and how much of what Nile said had been lies.

====

Erwin’s first encounter with Levi had been introducing himself as the much shorter man glared up at him, muddy water dripping from the ends of black hair. Mike’s first encounter with him had been two seconds prior when he shoved his face into the puddle.

Mike wasn’t sure why Erwin wanted Levi in the Survey Corps so badly. He was a thug, and a pretty famous one at that. He smelled like one, too, a little blood, a little drugs, and… Cleaning supplies? Mike decided to ignore that last one.

But what was Levi going to do in the military, let alone the Survey Corps?

Although he would admit after practically throwing him to the ground, he admired his skill. But for the most part, his attitude remained apathetic towards Levi and his two friends.

However, Mike softened a little when Levi had witnessed his friends get killed. But not too much, not when Levi almost went after Erwin. Erwin was really all Mike had and Mike would never let any harm come Erwin’s way, not when he could prevent it.

Mike figured Levi would never join the Survey Corps after that, yet he did, surprisingly enough. It impressed Erwin, and Mike had to admit that it impressed him as well. Levi was a good addition really, and Erwin often had them paired together on missions before they got Levi a proper squad. He and Mike were easily the strongest soldiers in the Survey Corps and Mike was sad to admit that with some training, Levi would be better than himself.

Erwin seemed to grow fond of Levi due to that fact, and Mike felt a flourish of jealousy in him at the idea. He had been with Erwin for a very long time, and he would not go down so easily.

And there was no way he and Erwin were going to go into another relationship with more than two people. They had learned their lesson.

“Hey Big-Ass Tree, don’t hurt yourself thinking too hard.” Mike glared down at Levi for that remark. Levi had figured out pretty quickly that Mike didn’t talk much, getting lost in his own thoughts. Levi was good, but he still had an attitude to him right now, and a lot of his comments were directed towards Mike.

Erwin didn’t seem to take notice, but Mike still never returned the remarks, knowing Erwin wouldn’t be happy if he found out. But his face relaxed, knowing that was what had caused Levi’s jab. He sighed to himself.

They had learned their lesson.

Hadn’t they?

\----

Erwin liked Levi. Mike had the suspicion, but Erwin finally told him.

Mike asked him what this meant, and Erwin said it meant the same thing it always did. Mike had half glared at him, wondering why Erwin picked now of all times not to be completely straightforward with him, but then it clicked.

Apparently they had not learned their lesson.

“Do you not remember what happened last time?” Mike asked. Erwin’s eyes closed, and Mike knew that was the closest he would get to a wince. Mike felt bad for being so harsh, but he didn’t want to go through this again.

“I think this will be different,” Erwin said.

“How?” Mike asked. It wasn’t often he voiced his thoughts aloud, but he had been stewing for awhile now and this was the final straw. “Levi has enough attitude for three people, and is constantly making jabs at me. I thought things would be different after he lost the closest thing he had to family, but he still acts like he’s the best thing since sliced bread.”

Erwin was looking at him with a careful, level gaze. Mike wanted to shout at him to show some reaction to Mike’s doubts, wanted to ask him what the hell he saw in that infuriating pipsqueak, but he kept that to himself. It wasn’t often he shook, and it wasn’t often he got angry, but he was good at keeping his thoughts to himself. He was just mad that he had to hide it from the one person he usually talked to about things.

He knew why Erwin stayed silent. Mike prided himself about being strong, but when it came to Erwin, he couldn’t help but weaken.

“What do you want?” Mike asked him. He stopped shaking, left drained. He knew what the answer was.

Erwin smiled at him. “I want both of you.”

\----

Mike had consented, and so did Levi. Levi seemed hesitant at first, giving a sidelong glance at Mike. But Mike wanted Erwin to be happy and he knew Erwin would be happiest with them both. Mike told that to Levi, told Levi that Erwin loved them both, and they didn’t have to like each other for this to work. Levi didn’t look too happy, and Mike didn't feel too happy, but it had happened, and there they were.

Mike had grown accustomed to it. It had bothered him at first, but Erwin was happy, and there weren’t many things that made Erwin genuinely happy. That was enough for Mike to try and learn to be happy with it as well.

Levi still didn’t seem too thrilled, and Mike couldn’t help but be a little smug about it, thinking himself to be the better of the two of them when it came to the complexities of their relationship.

But it was clear to Erwin that Mike and Levi still weren’t getting along very well. They didn't have to love each other like he loved them, but Erwin at least wished they would get along. It was a little upsetting, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. Unfortunately, Mike and Levi were also his best soldiers and so he often sent them on more difficult excursions together. He was certainly grateful that Mike’s and Levi’s attitudes towards each other never got in the way of their professional atmosphere when they had work to do. As much as they seemed to dislike each other, they had a silent, mutual respect for each other’s skill.

And so Mike and Levi stood atop a branch of a tree in order to scout out the area.

Most people would think that when they were alone, Mike and Levi would argue the most, but those were actually the times when they were the most civil when they spoke.

“What are we even supposed to do about this?” Levi asked.

“Well, Erwin asked us to make note of anything odd-”

“Not that, dumbass,” Levi cut him off. Levi had lost some of his attitude, especially when he was given his own squad to lead. It leveled him out a little, and his squad became his new family. Mike found himself hoping they would live, even if just for Levi’s sake.

Regardless, Levi still liked to make jabs, but Mike had grown used to them by now, so much so that he wasn’t sure what he would do if they suddenly stopped.

“... You mean about Erwin?” Mike asked.

Levi nodded.

“I don’t feel like there's much to talk about,” Mike said.

“Well, it’s not like we get along much,” Levi stated, as if Mike hadn’t known.

“My feelings towards you don’t matter, my feelings towards Erwin do,” Mike told him. “I told you, he’s happiest with both of us.”

Levi wanted to tell him that Mike that simply repeating himself wasn’t going to get them anywhere, but Mike stiffened suddenly, sniffing at the air.

“What is it boy?” Levi asked in a mocking tone, causing Mike’s face to harden. He could not do this now, not on one of the branches of the “big-ass trees” as Levi liked to call them.

“I named them after you,” Levi had told him, and Mike kind of really wanted to push him off.

“There’s rain rolling in,” Mike said simply. “We need to find shelter.”

Levi turned serious suddenly, knowing the implications of rain outside the walls. They knew a spot nearby that would do for the night.

\----

They sat in a cave, staring at the rain as it pelted down in loud, heavy drops. It came quickly, which made them hopeful that it would pass quickly, but all they could really do was sit and wait.

Mike wasn’t really worried for him and Levi, mostly for Erwin, who expected them back by now. Erwin knew the mortality rate of the Survey Corps, and it was not something that anyone could truly escape. Erwin blamed himself for the death of all of his soldiers, Mike couldn't imagine what Erwin would do if he thought he had basically killed the two men he loved.

“Does the rain every bother you?” Mike was surprised by the question, his thoughts moved to the back of his mind, but not forgotten.

“It depends,” Mike explained. “In some circumstances, it can be suffocating. If I need to sniff out titans, the rain becomes dangerous because it amplifies the scent and suddenly it’s everywhere.”

Then he smiled fondly as a rush of memories flooded him. “But when it rained during training, whenever I could, I would drag Erwin and-”

He stopped, smile wiped. The warm feeling of nostalgia was replaced by a cold, empty feeling. He wasn’t even angry, just feeling the same sensation of being drained all over again.

“When it rained, I would drag Erwin and Nile out because I really do love the smell of the rain when I can enjoy it,” Mike said, kind of wishing Levi would drop the subject.

“Nile? The Commander of the Military Police?” Levi asked. He didn’t sound shocked or horrified, just genuinely curious.

Mike nodded. “He was in training with Erwin and me. We were all kind of… Together.”

It felt weird to talk about after all these years. Mike felt awkward talking about it, especially to Levi. Levi hadn’t seem them as trainees, he just saw them now. He wouldn’t know what it had been like when the three of them were happy.

Or at least when he thought they were happy.

Levi just nodded, but Mike could have sworn he saw agitation in his eyes. He didn't ask why.

He continued to stare out into the wet grayness that spanned before them.

Then came a voice so quiet and tentative that Mike could barely believe it was Levi’s. “Izzy liked the rain, too…”

It was the first time since they died that Levi spoke of either Isabel or Farlan. Mike knew it had to be hard.

Levi said nothing else of the matter, but Mike felt as if he had been given something precious that had to be kept safe. He wondered if Levi had done it on purpose.

“We should get some rest.” Levi’s voice became strong again, and Mike knew he was right.

“We should take turns keeping watch though,” Mike suggested. Levi nodded in agreement.

“I can go first,” the black-haired man said, shuffling a little closer to the edge. Mike felt surprisingly exhausted after their short conversation and so just decided to take him up on the offer, scooting further back into the cave to attempt to get some rest.

If there had to be one thing about the rain right now, Mike would grant it the fact that it lulled him to sleep easily enough.

He was woken all too soon by Levi smacking him on the shoulder. He woke with a start, jolting to a sitting position, and finally looking down at Levi, who grabbed the front buckle of his harness to pull him down and kiss him quickly.

“Hop to it,” was all Levi said before releasing Mike’s harness and laying down to get some sleep himself.

Mike stared at Levi for a few moments, wondering what entity was currently possessing the shorter man, before deciding it would be best to just stand on watch and deal with it later.

\----

The rain had stopped the following morning and they were able to return safely. They said nothing of the events of the night before.

When they returned, Erwin was waiting. He held his professional, commander’s air around him when he came to meet them, but Mike knew that he had been waiting for them, had probably been waiting all night.

Once they were in Erwin's office, door shut so nobody would bother them, Mike and Levi pulled the blonde towards them, and Erwin held onto the two of them tightly, silently telling them he was glad they were safe, asking them to always be safe.

Erwin pulled back and gave them each a kiss, for which they were happy to comply.

Then Mike and Levi looked at each other, memories of the previous night flashing through their eyes like a movie.

Mike leaned a good ways down to return the kiss Levi had given him.

It was short, like the first one had been, but when they pulled away to look at Erwin, he was grinning at both of them. Mike and Levi both smiled as well.

They had learned their lesson.

====

The doctors had warned Erwin that he may feel a phantom limb at times to replace his arm. They hadn’t warned him that he may also feel another hand take his phantom hand, filling him with a warm, familiar feeling he almost wished he could forget.

He felt that now, seated in a carriage next to Nile. They were both silent on the backdrop of wooden wheels on stone ground as the carriage made its journey.

Erwin wasn’t sure what to say at this point. The last time he had interacted with Nile, Nile had been threatening to shoot him. Things seemed to have calmed down since then, but that didn’t mean much. Anything was better than being held at gunpoint.

But Erwin had to say something, anything, but one thing in particular. Regardless of how it all ended, Nile still deserved to know.

But he couldn’t just say it. The words were heavy in his throat, almost making him gag. He couldn’t say it right now.

But he had to say something.

He couldn’t bring up what they had once had, but what else was he to say? He remembered why Nile had left, and the things he had heard.

“How is your family?” Erwin asked.

“Don’t,” Nile snapped, voice strained, harsh. He sounded pained, and Erwin felt a flash of anger that he instantly put out. He had to remain calm for this.

“I’m not here to talk about the past,” Nile continued.

Erwin wasn’t either, but it was all he could say.

“I heard you’re going to have a third child,” Erwin added.

He stole a glance at the black-haired man seated next to him, noticing how frustrated he looked. But he relented.

“Yes,” he said. “Marie and I are expecting our third child.”

He sounded forlorn. Erwin found himself wondering why.

“Why must you ask?” Nile asked. “Why do you want to know?”

“Why wouldn’t I want to know?” Erwin asked, in a voice that he struggled to keep level. “Maybe you’ve forgotten, but I loved you.”

Nile’s face scrunched up in agitation, head turning away ever so slightly.

“I know,” Nile said, voice hard, but with the slightest tremor. “I abandoned you and Mike to be with Marie and if you think I have no regrets, then you’re dead wrong. I loved you both, I still do, but-”

He stopped suddenly, putting a hand to his forehead, elbow leaning against the carriage window. Erwin’s whole head turned to look at him, wondering what Nile was going to say, wondering why Nile had left.

“What did you want, Erwin?” Nile asked with a defeated sigh.

Erwin’s face softened, his eyes sad. He knew there was no avoiding it, he had to say it.

“Mike’s dead.” As soon as the soft trembling sentence reached Nile’s ears, his eyes snapped wide, and he stiffened. He didn’t dare look at Erwin.

The carriage stopped, and Erwin got off. Nile sat there, frozen, unbelieving.

He had always viewed Erwin and Mike as invincible, attached at the hip. Where one was, so was the other, that’s how it always had been.

But the last time Nile had seen it with his own eyes was when they had Nile by their side, as well. But now Levi had been by there side, and it pained Nile to see.

He wondered what else had changed.

\----

It wasn’t often Erwin got visitors. Usually only Levi when he could steal himself away to be with him and Mike. Levi used to share a room with them as well, but when Levi and his squad moved out to the old base where Eren could be safely kept, he was often a great distance away. It was only on missions they ever saw each other.

He was currently sharing quarters with Levi, with both Levi’s squad and Mike dead. They never got visitors, nobody dared bother them when business was done for the day, not while Erwin was recovering from his injury while simultaneously trying to cope with the loss.

But there had been a knock, and Erwin had reluctantly gone to get it, ignoring Levi’s offer to get it himself so Erwin could rest.

Erwin wondered who in their right mind would show up at his doorstep so late at night, but he feared the implications.

But when he opened the door, he was greeted by Nile.

“What…” Erwin faltered for a few moments, something he almost never did. “What are you doing here?”

“Can I talk to you?” Nile asked in a quiet, rushed tone.

Erwin hesitated; under any other circumstances, he would let Nile in, but Levi was here, and even without the frustration of having to cope with loss again and again, Levi despised Nile.

But he still stepped out of the doorway, gesturing for Nile to come in with the hand he still had. Nile gingerly stepped inside, head staring at the ground just before him. He didn’t dare look at anything else.

Erwin led him to the closest thing they had to a living room. He didn’t alert Levi of their visitor- he had to talk to Nile alone first. He gestured for Nile sit on the couch, sitting on one end himself. Nile sat down as well, as far away as he could.

“What did you want to talk about?” Erwin asked in a quiet tone. He glanced at Nile, who stared at the ground in front of him, hands wringing in his lap.

Nile remained silent for an indeterminate amount of time. Then he swallowed dryly, and spoke in a voice he struggled to keep level.

“A couple of things.” He was trying to sound normal, but his voice was a little too quiet and it tremored a little too much, and he spoke so slowly. Erwin wasn’t fooled.

“Which are?” It was the only prompting Erwin was going to give, knowing it would be best to allow Nile to work through it on his own.

There was a long silence, and Erwin waited patiently. In theory, he imagined he should be angry; Nile abandoned him and Mike with no warning after lying to them that he had no feelings for Marie, and then Nile shows up on his doorstep only after finding out Mike has died and what is it that he wants?

“I came to ask for forgiveness,” he said.

Erwin should be angry, should be _furious_ that Nile dare ask for forgiveness after all this time, after what he had done.

But he wasn’t; Erwin was a man who knew there was always more beneath the surface. He wanted to believe Nile had a reason for what he had done.

“I was never angry,” Erwin told him.

“That doesn’t mean what I did was ok,” Nile said in a harsh voice. Nile was the one who was angry.

“Either way, I do forgive you,” Erwin said. Nile seemed to visibly relax at that, but there was clearly still more bothering him. Erwin wondered what Mike would have said in this situation. Maybe Nile was wondering the same thing.

Silence prevailed again; Erwin waited for more. Nile had said there was a couple of things.

“... Do you remember what I said in the carriage?” Nile asked suddenly.

Erwin thought back to that car ride, the way Nile spouted out words before he realized what he was doing.

“That you still love me…” Erwin said.

Nile didn’t move for a few moments, frozen, and then nodded slowly. Erwin knew what Mike would say in this situation, but Erwin also knew that Mike had loved Nile as well and, had he been here, probably would have caved, as much as Mike seemed to have never forgiven Nile on the surface. Erwin wanted to cave.

But there were things to address first.

“What about Marie and your children?” Erwin asked.

Nile’s shut his eyes, and took in a deep, shaky breath.

“I explained everything to her,” Nile said as he exhaled. “How we had been together, why I left you. Everything.”

It dawned on Erwin that Nile did not leave him and Mike for Marie. He had left for a completely different reason, one Erwin wasn’t sure he would ever know, one that Mike would definitely never know.

“Did you ever love Marie?” Erwin asked.

“Yes,” Nile said truthfully. “Just not the way she loved me.”

Erwin had a million more questions, but he kept them to himself. That was one issue addressed, but there was still one more, and Erwin could hear his footsteps.

“What is the Swine King doing here?” Erwin looked over at Levi, who stood in front of them, eyes narrowed in his usual glare. Erwin could see the difference though, gray eyes that were turning steel as they blazed.

“Levi, calm down,” Erwin said, trying to defuse the bomb before it went off. “He just came here to talk.”

“And what does he want?” Levi asked, arms crossed.

Erwin found himself at a loss for words. Ever since that fateful expedition where everything changed in a flash, Erwin found himself trying to fight for what he had always had; his way with words and strategy.

Right now, he had no idea how to handle the situation; he had meant to talk to Levi alone first, explain the situation and take on the full brunt of Levi’s anger before getting him to calm down and possibly convince him to agree to have Nile become a part of their relationship.

But now Levi was analyzing him, searching for the answer. Erwin used to be good at hiding what he was thinking, but he had lost that as well.

“Oh, don’t tell me,” Levi said. “He still loves you.”

Nile stiffened, hunching up, collapsing in on himself.

“Levi-” Erwin began, but was cut off.

“Do you really expect me to agree to having him join this relationship after what he did to you and Mike?” Levi asked, disbelieving.

Before Erwin could say or do anything, Nile was suddenly standing, glaring, using every last bit of his height advantage. “I did what I thought I had to do.”

“And you expect forgiveness?” Levi asked, whirling, undaunted by Nile’s height. After being with Erwin and Mike for so long, height stopped being intimidating.

Then Nile smirked, standing tall. “I already have it.”

Erwin visibly flinched for the first time in who knows how long. He was surprised Levi didn’t get whiplash by how quickly his head had turned.

“You forgave him?” Levi asked through his teeth.

“Three years,” Erwin said. “It may have been a long time ago, but the three of us were together and happy for three years. I had never been angry.”

Levi was still glaring, but then he exhaled, deflating. “You can’t expect me to consent to this.”

“You did once,” Erwin reminded him.

“That was different,” Levi said. “That was Mike.”

“And if I recall correctly, you and Mike didn’t like each other from the get go either,” Erwin said smoothly. Maybe he was getting a bit of his persuasion back. “And if you recall, Mike had loved Nile, too. What would Mike do if he were here?”

“If Mike were here, Nile wouldn’t be,” Levi said, but Erwin knew he caught the way Nile winced, shrinking back up ever so slightly. Erwin cocked an eyebrow at Levi, knowing he saw the regret.

And Levi knew what Mike would say if he were here. His feelings towards Nile didn’t matter, but his feelings towards Erwin did, and Erwin would be happiest with both of them.

“Ok,” Levi finally agreed. “Good luck convincing him, though.”

“I knew what I was getting into when I asked for this,” Nile said. “I know being with Erwin also means being with you to some degree.”

Levi actually looked surprised, something not often seen. It was surprised Erwin to see, but oddly enough, not Nile.

Erwin looked between Levi and Nile, who both glared at one another. Erwin sighed. He probably wasn’t lucky enough for it to happen twice.

\----

Erwin noticed a multitude of similarities between Levi’s relationship with Nile and his initial relationship with Mike. A lot of poking fun and jabs that Nile simply took, wanting to please Erwin. Unfortunately, professional atmosphere was lost with them given the state of the two branches of the military and so there wasn’t much time they did get along.

There was one large different that Erwin did notice, however. Nile and Levi got along the best between the sheets.

And that wasn’t to say that sex the magical cure all for the two of them, just that they were able to stop insulting each other for a decent period of time to get it done. With Erwin, the two of them were pretty subdued, more submissive, but with each other, they were anything but. Erwin wondered why they did it given they still despised each other, but it released some of the tension and so Erwin just left them to it.

Erwin found himself wondering why he was so interested in the state of Nile and Levi’s sex life in particular and decided to move on from that.

He doubted he would be lucky enough to end up with a case like Mike and Levi’s again. They had told Erwin the story later on, and it had made him laugh, picturing the shocked look on Mike’s face when it had happened while Levi maintained the usual blank expression he wore for most anything. All in all, he had just been happy that the three of them could finally be completely together.

Nile and Levi were different, and Erwin knew that. He wondered if he had made a mistake.

\----

When he was handed the telegram, Nile was given a sympathetic look, telling him whatever was on it wasn’t going to be good.

He took it with a courteous thank you and brought it with him to his room, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He unfolded the yellow paper, holding it open with one hand. He read over the words with a sort of curiosity, but it was soon replaced with dread, his eyes widening.

No, that couldn’t be. They couldn’t have gone there, Nile had left for a reason, and that reason was so they could safely stay within Wall Sina, not so they could move to an outer wall and-

“What’s got you so riled up?” Nile looked up from the page to see Levi standing in the doorway.

Nile glared at him, but it was wavering. “It doesn’t concern you.”

Levi raised an eyebrow. The last thing he wanted to do was talk to Nile about his problems, but Erwin was a firm believer in the fact that talking helped, even if Erwin had trouble opening up himself. He knew it’s what Erwin would want and so Levi was going to try.

“Talking can help,” Levi said.

Nile sighed, folding up the paper and placing it on the bedside table. “That’s what Erwin always says.”

Levi cast his gaze downward. He often forgot that Nile had been with Mike and Erwin for three years. Nile wasn’t a stranger to the way Erwin thought.

“If you must know,” Nile crossed his arms, looking down at the floor. “Marie and our children apparently left Wall Sina and died in one of the outer walls.”

Levi felt anger bubbling up to the surface. “Why does that upset you?”

Nile looked up at him, disbelieving. “What do you mean, why wouldn’t it upset me?”

“You left them,” Levi said. He had lost his family time and time again, and even if he hadn’t shown it, he had loved them. Nile had deceived his family, lied to them for years, he wasn’t allowed to feel the same devastation Levi felt time and time-

“That doesn’t mean I didn’t love them,” Nile snapped back. “They were my family. I may not have loved Marie the way she loved me, but she was my best friends for years of my life, and I loved our kids.”

Nile closed his eyes, turning his head to the side. “I left them our house so they could remain safe in the inner walls, but they left anyway. And now they’re dead, and it’s my fault.”

All of Levi’s angered melted away as he watched Nile shake ever so slightly, listening to the way his voice tremored with emotion Levi had never seen in him. He wondered if Erwin or Mike had ever seen him this way.

Levi’s crossed the room and sat next to him on the edge of the bed.

“Do you want to know why I abandoned Mike and Erwin the way I did?” Nile asked.

Did Erwin know the reason? Levi knew Mike didn’t, he’d never know, but he wondered if Nile had ever explained himself before.

“Fine,” Levi said.

“I got a letter from my parents telling me how they’d disown me if I joined the crackpots that were the Survey Corps,” Nile said bluntly. “And being the coward I am, I abided to their wishes and married Marie and joined the Military Police.”

Levi recalled the way Eren had called Nile and the rest of the Military Police cowards, and how Nile had gotten furious.

“I shouldn't have cared,” Nile continued. “I had Mike and Erwin, and I was happy, but I joined the military to please my parents in the first place and it all came crashing back and like an idiot, I left.”

Levi was silent, everything falling into place. As much as Levi wanted to deny it, both he and Nile had lost their family, and they both had lost Mike.

“I know what it’s like to lose family,” Levi told him. “But we both have Erwin.”

Nile remained frozen for a few moments, but eventually uncrossed his arms and slowly turned his head to look at Levi. He looked tired, but also a little surprised.

Nile looked like he wanted to say something, but before he could, Levi added, “And we have each other.”

Nile’s eyes widened at that, even more so when Levi scooted closer, letting their legs brush together. He stopped then, letting Nile make the next move, whatever that would be.

Their fingertips brushed together tentatively, and Levi grasped them lightly. Nile moved slowly, and Levi waited. He kind of wanted to tell him to hurry up, but Nile looked like the kind of person that had to move at his own pace at times.

And then finally, Nile leaned down and Levi accepted the kiss. It wasn’t the first time they had kissed, but it was still a first.

Erwin caught a glimpse of them when he walked by Nile’s room, smiling to himself. He didn’t dare disturb them, they could come to him on their own accord.

He was just glad to be so lucky.

\----

When Nile awoke in the middle of the night, they were all lying in one bed. Erwin was big spoon, he was little spoon, and Levi was curled up in his arms. He had been in the situation before, but with different people, different roles. But things kept changing, people kept leaving.

No, he shouldn’t put himself and Mike in the same position. He liked to think Mike died with honor. Nile had left with shame.

People could tell something was up with the three of them, people had always been able to tell. He heard jokes and jabs among the chatter.

People laughed at the Survey Corps’ beloved Corporal, the world’s strongest man, for bending over for the Commander of the Military Police. They laughed at the Commander of the Military Police for bending over for the invalid ex-Commander of the Survey Corps. And they laughed at the invalid ex-Commander of the Survey Corps for a great number of things, this just happened to be one of them. It still bothered Nile, it would probably always bother him, but he learned to live with it. This wasn’t for everyone else, it was for them; himself, Erwin, and Levi. He had learned his lesson.

He really shouldn’t ask for more.

**Author's Note:**

> So if people like this (or even if I just feel like writing it), there may be a second part that is a reincarnation!AU. We'll see what happens.


End file.
